India has rolled out a new initiative in the field of artificial intelligence with the launch of the MeitY's AI Governance Framework
MeitY’s AI Governance Framework: India’s Step Towards Responsible AI Development
New Delhi, November 5- India has rolled out a new initiative in the field of artificial intelligence with the launch of the MeitY's AI Governance Framework. It is focused on promoting AI that should be human-centric and responsible.
According to S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), this framework is the foundation for “light-touch, ethical regulation” that promotes innovation while maintaining accountability. He also said, “The government's intent is to promote innovation, not restrict it, so it will act reasonably.
The framework is based on seven guiding principles: trust, people first, fairness & equity, accountability, understandable by design, safety, innovation over restraint, resilience & sustainability. These principles set the theme for AI's ethical vision for India: development to empower citizens without causing harm.
The framework establishes a multi-layered governance structure for the implementation of this vision.
• AI Governance Group (AIGG) – for policy coordination,
• Technology & Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) – for strategic guidance,
• AI Safety Institute (AISI) – for risk assessment, standards, and global engagement
• Sectoral Regulators – for domain-specific compliance.
The report also outlines six key pillars—Infrastructure, Capacity Building, Accountability, Policy and Regulation, Risk Mitigation, and Institutions. It is supported by an action plan with short-, medium-, and long-term goals.
It includes establishing new governance institutions, piloting regulatory sandboxes, and integrating AI within India’s Digital Public Infrastructure.
Principal Scientific Advisor Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood emphasised the “Do No Harm” principle and called for flexible innovation sandboxes to help India lead in safe, adaptive AI development.
Part of the IndiaAI Mission, the guidelines focus on expanding AI use in agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, and natural-resource management, positioning India as a global hub for responsible AI innovation ahead of the India-AI Impact Summit 2026.
